Responses of small mammals and vegetation to wildfire in shadscale communities of Southwestern Idaho

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During the last 10 years, wildfires have burned 50 percent of the shrub-steppe vegetation in the Snake River Birds of Prey Area. Because of the importance of small mammals as prey for raptors, we assessed the species composition and density of the small mammal populations and the percent cover of vegetative species at burned, partially burned, burned/rehabilitated, and unburned (control) sites. Vegetation on unburned sites consisted primarily of shadscale (Atriplex confertifolia) and winterfat (Ceratoides lanata) associations, whereas cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) dominated the burned, partially burned, and burned/rehabilitated sites. The deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) was the most abundant species on all study sites. More deer mice were captured on partially burned and unburned sites than on burned and burned/rehabilitated sites. Abundance of Townsend's ground squirrels (Spermophilus townsendii), as measured by hole counts, was greater on unburned sites than burned ones. This study suggests that wildfires in shadscale habitat reduce small mammal abundance for at least one year after a burn.

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Reference Code: A88GRO03IDUS

Full Citation: Groves, C., and K. Steenhoff. 1988. Responses of small mammals and vegetation to wildfire in shadscale communities of Southwestern Idaho. Northwest Science 62(5): 205-210.

Location: ANIMAL EF: MAMMALS